Cancer Warnings on Beer Bottles Might Calm the Lads Down

Researchers looking into ways to stop people hitting the bottles and cans so hard have found that generic health advice isn't particularly useful, but what does work is threatening drinkers with the c-word.

Of the 3,600 people in England who took part in the Global Drugs Survey this year, 40 per cent of them said that seeing the phrase "drinking less reduces your risk of seven different sorts of cancer" on their booze bottles, cans and pumping levers might seriously make then think about drinking less, and while 40 per cent doesn't sound like much, it was the highest number to be affected by one of the survey's mocked-up warning labels.

31 per cent said that health warnings based around the calorific content of alcohol might make them drink less, with 27 per cent saying they may heed advice that draining this can and the three others could lead to higher levels of violent behaviour. 55 per cent said even the cancer warning wouldn't make a difference to their drinking anyway, though, as they'll bravely power through the pints until they can't read anyway. [Global Drugs Survey via Guardian]